Joint



July2'3, 1929. Aw. LEE y 1,722,003

JOINT Filed oct. 1o,y 1927 2 sheets-sneer l /fW v W J5l /f l 2 S T .I /f2 @1 i1' n@ J I J U L Z U "INVENTOR' f l BY A. W. LEE

' JOINT July 23, 1929.

Filed Ot. l0, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet HIl ff llll lll!" WWE J INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Patented July 23, 1929.

1,722,003- UNITED STATES, PATENT go--i-fii.c|e;..

ALBERT WILLIAM LEE, 0F (IOLUTIVIBIA.,` SOUTH CAROYLIN, ASSIGNOR OFFO'RTY-NINE i PER CENT TO ARTHUR W. HAMBY, 0F COLUMBIA, SOUTH CARQIINA.

JOINT.

Application Vile October 10, 1927. Serial No.. 225,253.

This invention is a novel improvement in joints especially designed foruse on the steering gear of automobiles although useful for otherpurposes. The principal object. of the invention is to enhance thesafety of the steering mechanism of automobiles under all Conditions,and Vto make the steering easier.

In the present automobile steering gear the j-oints are ordinarily balland socket joints, and grit and other foreign matter gets into suchjoints and causes wear thereon, and the constant alternating pull andpush on these joints while steering hastens such wear, and ultimately,unless repairs are made, the ball and socket wear so much that the ballpulls out of the socket rendering the automobile uncontrollable andfrequently causes serious accidents. One of the objects of the inventionis to provide a novel oint which will not be subject to wear like theball and socket joint, and from which grit and foreign matter will beexcluded, such joint being capable of indefinite use without noticeableWear.'

On account of the wear on ball and socket j oints,as described above, agreat deal of lost motion results between the steering'wheels and thesteering shaft; this permits shimmying which renders the caruncontrollable and makes ity necessary to bring the. car to a stop.Another obj ect of the present, invention is to provide a joint whichalways remains close fitted, and by which lost. motion and shimmyingwillbe prevented. s

Further the present, ball andsocket joints if not kept thoroughlygreased at` all times, and if worn, make steering laborious; and in softsoil extremely hard. Another object of` the presentinvention is toprovide a joint which can not bind, and which will render the. steeringeasy at all times.

The accompanying drawingsk illustrate a I practical embodiment of theinvention as applied to the. steering linkage of an. automobile; and theinvention will be explained in detail with reference to said drawings toenable others to understand and yuse the same; and the essentials oftheinventionfand the novel featuresof construction and novelcombinations of parts for which protection is desired v are summarizedin they claims.

In said drawings: Y Figure l is a detail pla-n view of the connectionsasv steering linkage between-therocker shaft and the steering wheels ofa vehicle,A equipped ,with my improved ]o1nts;

Fig 2. is a sectional-view of the kline 2 2, Figa- 1 looking thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged top. view of one of the novel joints; Y

Fig. l is a sectional view on thefline 4 4,

. Fig; 5 is a side View ofthe joint as connecting the two members ofthedrag` link;

Fig. 6 is. a top, plan view of Fig'. 5 partly broken v s Fig. 7 is asectional view on theline 7 7,- Fig. 4,; Y

Fig. amview-@raeunatandwielen.v

- ln Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings the steering wheels W are mounted as:usualon steen. ing arms S pivoted on axle A and connected by a tie rodT. One arm is provided with the.- usu-al crank arm S connected to thedrag link preferably consisting; of two members L, L connected by ajoint l-the rear member L' being connected to theleverR which isattached to the rocker shaft R of 'thefsteering gear G in the usualmanner, so that turning of the steering wheel (not shown) will vibratethe lever R and through the described connections shift the,steeringwheels inthe well. known manner. v

My' novel wear-proof and dust-proof joints: are preferably used toconnectthe lever R with the link L', to connect the members of the draglinks L, L', to connect the drag 'link to the crank arm S, and toconnect. the rod T' to the steering; arms; S, such joints-.being allconstructed alike, and being' indicated by the letter J in Figs. l and 2of the drawings.` Each jointr J ispreferably constructedas illusf tratedin Figs. 3i to 8, andthe description of one will explain all.

. The joint comprises a-,Abolt l, seeFig. 8

which isA tast to one of the members to'be con.- g5

nected, and a ball bearing which is: fast to the y l other member to beconnected.. Preferably, the ball hearingv is composed of an `outer. race2a, an inner race. @and interposed ballsy 2cb-y which the. members 2aand 21 arefkept-together while free to rotate one with relation to theother. f Y

The ball race 2a ifs normallyrotatably confined in an opening in the endof onemernber to. be. united by the joint, for instance the tie` rod YT,which. member preferably' has a Split end providedfwith a circularrecess to receive the ball bearing, the split end of the rod beingclamped around the ball race 2.? by meansgof abolt 2 and nut 2d, asindicated'in'Fig. 3.'

The other' member to be connected by the joint, for example the steeringarm S, is bifurcated, as in Fig. 3, and the end of the tie l rodcarrying the ball bearing is inserted in thebifurcation of the tie rodas indicated in y Fig. 4, and the bolt l is passed through thebifurcation of thel tie rod and through the ball bearing. l

The inner ball race 2l," is ,preferably .provided with a rectangularaxial opening 2e adapted to engage a corresponding rectangu lar portionld of the bolt l, so that the race 2*" can not rotate on the bolt, Y j

As indicated in Fig. 4 the squared portion l-d of the bolt extendsthrough a preferably square opening in the lower member s of thebifurcation. The upper member S of the bifurcation preferably has asomewhat larger square opening engaged by a somewhat larger squaredportion le of the bolt; the bolt has a preferably square head lf aboveportion le which can be engaged by a wrench while the vnut on the boltis being turned. The lower adjustment washers4 which lap over 'and'cover the felt washers. The washers 4 preferably have rectangularopenings to engage the squaredl portion 1d of the bolt, and alsopreferably have` flanges 4a around said openings which will engage therace 2b of the ball bearing and prevent Awashers 4 unduly binding orclamping the washers 3.

' I A flat washer 5is interposed between the lower member .5" of thebifurcation.

upper washer 4 and the upper member s of the bifurcation, and a similarwasher 5 is interposed between the lowerwasher 4 and The washers 4 and 5are of such thickness when theiV nut l" is tightened close contact willbe made between the' adjustable washers'y 4 and the race'sof theball'bearing without binding .theballs or the washersA 3.

Because of the -relative positions ofthe washers 4 and 5 and the squareholes therein engaging the square body'of'the bolt the boli and washers4 and 5 can not turn, but the felt washers 3 can turn. In this noveljoint grease will be `retained and gritand dust eifectively excluded. lY yEach of the lseveral joints indicated' at J, Figs. l and 2, ispreferablyLmade'a-s above described, andl illustrated in Figs.v 3, 4yand?.

Thebifurcation of the member. Lof the drag` link V(see. Figs. 5 and 6)is preferably provided with recesses 6al adapted to loosely ya'linement,as frequently happens when the vehicle is in motion and the bodyswinging orvibrating on 'the'sprin'gs, thereby varying Y the distancebetween the'steering linkage and the car body and this joint betweentheinembers L; and LVof the drag link enables the front part L of the linkto remain parallel to the steering gear Vand keeps the front jointhorizontal, thus avoiding binding of the joint connecting the drag linkto the steeringarm, which would occur if the link was rigid.

' To provide for lubrication of the joint the bolt is provided with abore 1h which extends throughthe head lt and into the part ld to a pointbelow the upper edge of the race 2b of the ball bearing, when the jointis assembled. Atk this point the bore lh connects with a transverse hole1I in the bolt. The upper end of the bore 1*? may be closed by anysuitable means. Preferably it is'provided with al valve lb, of any wellknown construction, so that the grease can be supplied to the joint byanvalemite gun. The race 2d of the ball bearing is provided with fourradial holes 2 (two of which are adapted to register with the bore lpinthe bolt, regardless of how the bolt is inserted through the part 2d)so that when grease. is forced into the bolt it will pass through. thebores bearing. l- Y The joints can be applied to any car, re# gardlessof the'arrangement of the steering gear, and the ease withwhich the jointsoperate will renderit unnecessary to have long steer-ing arms. v

The novel joints 'can be used supporting the `body of an. automobile,and will cause easier and more even riding, and will alsoto a greatextent obviate squeaksf when the car is in motion.. The joint can alsobe used withadvantage in'connection with the foot pedals for gearshifts, or vfor brake levers on `brake rods, andin other places and Yfor many other purposes.

' I claim :l f

1l1 1P and 2 into the ball on the spring .1. Ina joint,thecombination'oftwo memi bers to. be unite-d, one. of said members beingbifurcated and the'other member having an.

opening and entered in the bifurcation of the first member; a ballbearing comprising inner andouter races and intermediate ballsv securedwithin the said opening; a bolt transfixing the arms of saidbifurcated'Jmember and extending through the inner race of the ballbearing, said bolt being angular in crosssection and engaging acorrespondingly angular bore inthe inner race; nonrotatable adj ustmentwashers strung onthe bolt between the opposite sides of the ball bearingand the bifurcation arms, and positioning the ball bearing and secondmember in the bifurcation; and dust-excluding washers interposed betweenthe adjustment washers and the ball bearing.

2. In a joint as set forth in claim 1, the ends of the arms extendingbeyond the bolt and provided with notches, and a pin attached to theother member and engaging said notches to limit the extent of play ofthe joint. v

3. In a joint, the combination of two members to be united, one of saidmembers being bifurcated and the other member having an opening in itsend and entered in the bifurcated end of the first member; a ballbearing comprising inner and outer races and intermediate balls securedwithin the said opening, and a bolt transixing the arms of saidbifurcate'd member and extending through the inner race of the ballbearing, said bolt being angular in cross section and engaging in acorrespondingly angular bore in the inner race, said bolt and said innerrace being provided with connecting passages for they admission ofgrease to the bearing.

4c. A joint for pivotally uniting two mem* bers, comprising one memberwhich has a bifurcation and another member which has a recess and isentered into the bifurcation, a

extending beyond `the bolt and provided with notches, and a pin attachedto the other member and engaging in said notches to limit the extent ofplay of the joint.

5. In a joint, the combination of two members to be united, one of saidmembers being bifurcated and the other member having an opening in itsend and entered in the bifurcated end of the first member; a ballbearing comprising inner and outer races and intermediate balls ksecuredwithin the said opening, a bolt transfixing the bifurcation arms of saidbifurcated member and extending through the inner race of the ballbearing, said bolt being angular in Cross section, and engaging acorrespondingly angular bore in the inner race, and dust excludingWashers interposed between the bifurcation arms and the ball bearing,the ends of the biprovided with notches, and a pin attached tothe othermember and engaging in said notches to limit the extent of play of thejoint.

ALBERT WILLIAM LEE.

furcation arms extending beyond the bolt and l

